Plug receptacle



1934- G. B. BENANDER' 1,969,544

PLUG RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 14, 1931 lfiVenCor: 7 George B. Benander, y Wm His Attorney.

. Patented" Au 7. 1934 PLUG nacnr'rnonr:

George B. Benander, Bridgeport, Conn assignor to The. Monowatt Electric Corporation, Bridgeport, (loan, a corporation of Connecticut I Application October -14, 1931, Serial N 568,798

1 Claim. (01, 173-438) The present invention relates to plug receptacles and especially to plug receptacles for use in outside or open wiring as opposed to concealed wiring.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved plug receptacle Whichis simple in structure, easy to use, and capable of being manufactured at low cost.

For a consideration of what .I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the following specification and claim appended thereto. 2

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview showing a plug receptacle embodying my invention mounted on a baseboard; Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view of the plug receptacle shown in Fig. 1, the plug receptacle being attached to a baseboard; Fig. 3 is a face view of the plug receptacle looking at it from the inner end, a part of the plug receptacle being broken away; Figs.

4 and 5 are views similar to Figs. 2 and 3 of a modified form of the invention; and Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of another modification.

' Referring to the drawing, the husk or shell of the plug receptacle comprises a side wall 1 and an end wall 2, the latter being provided with openings 3 to receive the contacts or prongs of a standard plug connector. The shell is preferably circular and may be provided with longitudinally extending ribs, as indicated at 4 in Fig. 1, in order to give the shell a pleasing appearance. End wall 2 is dished inwardly and extending transversely across the end wall between openings 3 is a bridge 5 in which is a countersunk opening 6 to receive a fastening screw '7. The sides of the dished wall and of the bridge slope inwardly toward openings 3 so as to guide the plug contacts to the openings when a plug is being connected to the receptacle. The end of the shell opposite wall 2 is open and adjacent its edge is an annular shoulder 8 on which rests a sealing plate or disk 9 of insulating material such as a suitable fibrous material. Shoulder 8 is so located that disk 9 is flush with the end of the shell so that the device has a flat inner end. In the edge of the shell at its open end are one or more notches 10 for the passage of an electrical conductor cord, and on disk 9 are projecting ears 11 which close the open ends of the notches. In the present instance two notches 10 arranged on opposite sides of the shell are shown. I prefer this arrangement as it enables the use of one conductor cord running into the receptacle and, if desired, a second conductor cord running from the receptacle to another device. Y Inside the shell and projecting rearwardly from shell.

its closed end is a center post 12 located between the openings 3. Post 12 is preferably rectangular and is provided with a central opening for the passage. of screw 7. The sides of post 12 adjacent openings 3 are spaced'back somewhat from the on edge of the openings to prot ide shoulders 13. Formed integral with the inner wall of the shell and located on opposite sides of center post 12 are side posts 14 having flat inner surfaces 15. spaced inwardly from the open end of the shell. Side posts 14'have smooth flat side surfaces 16 which are opposite'the fiat sides of middle post 12 and form continuations of the outer edges of openings 3. In side posts 14 are screw threaded openings 17 adapted to receive binding screws 18. On the inner corners of side posts 14 are projecting ringers 19 which provide between tl 2m grooves in which are located the angular end portions 20 of contacts 21. In the inner end of the shell adjacent the side posts are recesses' 22 in which the ends of portions 20- are located. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the portions 20 of the contacts 21 fit between the spaced posts F 19 and the edges of recesses 22 whereby they are held firmly from turning movement. Fingers 19 go. and the side edges of recesses 22 thus form. in substance grooves in flat surfaces 15 in'which the end portions 21 lie and in which they are held by binding screws 18. The other ends of contacts 21 engage shoulders 13 and are bowed outwardly, 852 as indicated at 23, toward walls 16.50 as to overlie partially openings 3. When binding screws 18 -are screwed down the contacts 21 are clamped firmly between the heads of the screws and shoul-- ders 13. By providing grooves in which the end portions 20 of the contacts fit, it becomes ,unnecessary to provide'walls along the sides of the main portions of contacts 21 in order to hold them from turning. As a result, middle post 12 and side posts 14 may be made relatively narrow, be- 95, a

ing shown in the present instance as being but little wider'than contacts 21, and the space between the posts in which the contacts are located need not be provided with side walls but may communicate directly with the spaces between the sides of the posts and the side wall of the Thisarrangement has substantial advantages from a manufacturing standpoint. The outer wall 1, end wall 2, and posts-12 and 14 are formed as one integralconstruction' and 5 may be made from a suitable moulding comp und. The arrangement shown can be made by a simple moulding operation which may be performed at low cost. r

The contacts 21 comprise strips of copper or up other suitable material and are readily formed by a stamping operation. It will be seen that the plug receptacle proper comprises only four diiferent elements, the shell, the two contact stripszl, the two screws 18 and the disk 9. The

" screws 18 perform the function both of binding screws and of means for'holding the contacts 21 in place. As will be obvious, the assembling of the construction is .very simple, requiring only the fastening in position of the two contacts 21 by means of the screws '18 and the insertion of the fastening screw 7. The fastening screw '1 extends.

' through the fiber plate 9 serving to hold it in place,

clamping it against the end of center post 12.

The device is intended particularly for use in providing a plug receptacle at some point on a baseboard distant from a source of supply. In Fig- 1 the device is shown as being fastened to, a

baseboard and leading therefrom is a cord conductor 25. This may be run along the upper edge of the baseboardito any suitable source of electrical energy, for example, another plug recep- 'tacle. If desired, a second conductor cord may be run from the device shown in Fig. 1 to another plug receptacle similar to that shown in Fig. 1, or to some other device. In use of the construction it is necessary merelyjo remove the disk 9, attach the conductors of the cord to the binding posts 18, replace the disk 9, and then fasten the plug receptacle in position against a baseboard or other wall by means of the screw Z. v The entire operation can be performed with the use of only a screwdriver.

The device shown in Fig. l is adapted for use also for connection to a plug receptacle by pro- ,viding plug contacts fastened in place by the screws 18. This is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 wherein plug contacts 30 are shown fastened in position by the screws 31 which correspond to the screws 18 of Figs. 2 and 3. The insulating plate The construction is also well adapted for use I with a fiat conductor adapted to extend under a rug and termed usually rug wire. This is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 wherein the rug wire, which comprises two conductors 34 embedded in a flat rubber strip 35 extends'through an opening 36' in theedge of the shell which opening corresponds to the openings 10 of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, except that it is enlarged suillciently for the passage of the rug wire. The insulating plate 3'? is then fastened in position by a' screw 38, the end of which is flush with the surface of plate 37. By

this arrangement, the plug receptacle may rest fiat on a floor. If desired, however, a fastening screw such as that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 may be utilized for fastening the plug receptacle permanently in position to a wall. 1

What I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

A plug receptacle comprising a shell having a side wall and an outer end wall provided with spaced plug contact openings, the inner end of the shell being open, a center post and side posts projecting rearwardly from the inner surface of the end wall, said side posts having flat ends provided with screw threaded openings, and with means providing grooves, means forming shoulders at the base of the center post, contacts hav ing ends which rest in said groove and ends which engage said shoulders, and binding screws in said openings for clamping the contacts in position. GEORGE B BENANDER. 

